Cigarette case and server



Jan. 4, 1944. M. L. GOLDBERT CIGARETTE CASE AND SERVER Filed Dec. 24. 1942 INVENTOR MAXL. GOLD/SEPT ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 4, 1944 CIGARETTE CASE. AND SERVER Max L. Goldbert, New York, N.'Y.

Application December 24, 1942, Serial No. 470,318

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to cigarette cases and servers, and is an improvement on the form of device disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 2,249,632, dated July 15, 1941.

Experience has shown that the device made in accordance with the teachings of this prior patent were not particularly effective. Spring materials were needed to keep the case in closed position, and the fact that part of the casing in the rear thereof was open at all times caused too rapid drying of the cigarettes disposed therewithin.

The main object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a cigarette case and server which will require no spring materials of metal or otherwise to keep the case closed.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described, the side walls of which will cooperate with each other to form a lock.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a, device of the character described of a recess in the side walls of one of the compartments, and a projection from the side walls of the other compartment, which interfits with th recess to form a lock to secure the case against inadvertent opening,

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the character described which, when closed, will substantially seal the contents against dehydration.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which will contain and support therein, in spaced relation, twice as many cigarettes than were heretofore disposable within the casing.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent, and still others will be specifically pointed out in connection with the following description of an illustrative embodiment.

In the drawing annexed hereto, forming a part hereof,

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of one form of cigarette case and server constructed according to and embodying my invention, showing the casein open position, and presenting the contents for withdrawal;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the rear of the case in closed position, a portion being broken away to show constructional details;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the other end of the case as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the case in open position; and

Fig. '7 is a. horizontal section on the line 1- -1 of Fig. 3.

The device of my invention as illustrated comprises a case Ill, which is made up of a pair of identically sized and shaped members l2, l4,

Each of members 12 and I4 may be formed as by moulding, casting or otherwise, of a suitable material. I have found plastics to be well adapted for forming devices in "accordance with my invention.

Each of receptacles l2 and. I4 comprises a rear wall 20, and a pair of side walls 22, 24, and a front portion 26. The rear wall 20 has formed thereon, at the top thereof, a number of spaced projections 2-5, 25 extending upwardly of the top. Projections 25 are squared at the ends thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. Side wall 22 has formed at the top thereof a notch 30, having a pocket portion 32 angled downwardly and towards the front wall 26. A finger 34 is provided along the top edge reaching out over pocket 32 to some slight extent. The other side wall of the receptacle, 24, has formed at the top thereof a finger 40 or hook, with a projecting tip 42.

The front 26 of each of receptacles or portions I2, I4 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart fingers 60, extending upwardly from the bottom of the casing substantially above the rear wall thereof. These fingers 60, 60 are parallel to and spaced from the rear wall of each receptacle, and midway between each of the fingers and the rear wall, I provide an upstanding partition member 62, concavely curved on each side thereof. The inner surface of each of fingers 60, and the inner surface of the rear wall is also concavely curved. The receptacles I2, I 4 are of such depth that a cigarette, as C may be disposed between finger Bi! and partition 62, and a second cigarette C may be disposed between partition 62 and rear wall 20. Thus, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and '7, each of receptacles i2 and M has five spaced-apart fingers 60, and thus will contain ten cigarettes in five pairs. In both receptacles, the first of the fingers is formed contiguous to the end wall 24, and there is a space formed between the last finger and end wall 22 at the other end of the receptacles.

The receptacles are disposed with the fingers of one fitting into the inter-finger spaces of the other, the mouths thereof opening towards each other, and they are connected to pivot along a medial line with respect to one another. Apertures 52, 50 are formed through side walls 22, 24 of each of the receptacles l2, M, at the top thereof and at a point immediately adjacent the rear walls 20, 20, and when suitable pins as 52 are fitted through the openings, the receptacles may be pivoted with respect to each other.

As above recited, receptacles I2, I4 are identical with each other. One side wall 22 of each receptacle has the female notch 30 therein and the other side wall has the male hook portion 40, of such size and shape as to fit and be received exactly into the notch 30 of the other receptacle and present a continuous surface. As shown in Fig. 1, end walls 22 and 24 of one receptacle are disposed opposite, respectively, walls 24 and 22 of the other receptacle. In Figs. 2 and 4 the end walls are shown in the closed position, with the hooks fitting into the notches, and when it is desired to open the case, the receptacles are pivoted about pins 52, 52 and the hook 49 is pulled out of notch 30, past the projection 32, into the position of Fig. 1.

Each receptacle thus has a male member, as 40 at one end, and a female member at the other end, so that when the two receptacles are disposed and secured in opposing relation in line with each other, the male hook of one member is received within the'female notch of the other member. Notch 30 is slightly undercut and the finger 34 (Fig. 6) projecting out over the pocket 32, looks hook tip 42 in line securely. The resilient material of which I preferably form my receptacles allows tip 42 to ride up over projection 34 to permit the receptacles to pivot about the pins 52'.

In closed position, the projections 25 from one rear wall 20 will interfit with the projections of the rear wall 20 of the other receptacle, forming a continuous surface. The fingers 60, like- Wise interfit to form a closed front surface. The projections 25 and fingers 60 are aligned, that is, they define the front and back walls of the lower portion of the cigarette container. The spaces between the fingers on the opposing receptacle receive the tops of the cigarettes.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a pair of opposed receptacles pivotally secured to each other, each receptacle having a bottom, a pair of end walls, a front wall and a rear wall, an end wall of one receptacle having a projection and a recess, and an end wall of the other receptacle having a recess and a projection, the projection and recess on one end wall opposing the recess and projection respectively of the other wall and in the same plane therewith, the recesses receiving the projections therewithin when the end walls are brought into alignment to releasably lock the two receptacles in said aligned position.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which one end wall of one receptacle has a projection therefrom and a recess, and the other end wall of said receptacle has a recess therein and a projection, and the aligned end walls of the other receptacle have respectively a recess and a projection and a projection and a recess.

MAX L. GOLDBERT. 

